Maine, Vt moving ahead on health care, NH lags

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine and Vermont are moving forward with plans to comply with the national health care law, but New Hampshire has made no significant progress.

States are expected to be partners with the federal government in implementing a plan to extend coverage to the uninsured by 2014. An important part of the law calls for health insurance exchanges, new one-stop supermarkets with online and landline capabilities for those who buy coverage individually.

An analysis by The Associated Press divides states into four broad groups: those that have adopted a plan for exchanges, those that made substantial progress, those where the outlook is unclear, and those with no significant progress.

Vermont falls into the top group that’s adopted a plan, Maine’s made substantial progress, and New Hampshire’s made no significant progress.